1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to planters and, more particularly, to planters suitable for mounting on wall partitions, such as those utilized in open plan offices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To effectively and efficiently utilize office space while maintaining the maximum flexibility to meet ever-changing needs, modern offices have come to rely heavily on wall partitions. Such wall partitions are often referred to as "open plan" wall partitions, "partial height" wall partitions or simply "wall partitions". Wall partitions permit a modern office to partition open floor space into several offices of any size. Open plan wall partitions typically include an internal metal frame covered with a desired surface finish. The peripheral surfaces of the wall partitions also generally include an external metal or plastic trim strip which protects the edges and provides a finished, decorative appearance.
Office space is often at a premium where wall partitions are utilized, and the offices formed by the wall partitions tend to be relatively small. Office personnel wishing to improve their office space with plants must either sacrifice valuable office space for the plants or forgo having any plants at all.
Several attempts have been made in the art to develop planters that are compatible with open plan wall partitions and which are as unobtrusive as possible into the office space. Some known planters include grooves or support arms to mount the planter to the top of a wall partition. For example, the applicant of the present application has a design patent U.S. Pat. No. Des. 312,983, issued Dec. 18, 1990 on such a planter. Other examples include U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,738 and U.S. Des. Pat. Nos. D296,088 and D296,089. However, this type of planter can be unstable when mounted on wall partitions having wider peripheral trim strips. In addition, a planter utilizing this type of mount can be accidentally knocked off of a wall partition and may cause damage or injury to office personnel or equipment. Other planters are more stably mounted on the wall partition through the use of complex and expensive brackets. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,698,936 and 4,640,045.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a planter which is suitable for use with open plan wall partitions, including wall partitions having peripheral trim strips. It is another object to provide such a planter which exhibits improved stability, is uncomplicated in design, is easy to manufacture and use, and is not unwieldy to either install or remove.